Under the Covers with Sleepenvie

DON'T WAKE UP ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BED: How To Know When You Need A New Mattress

Sleep is essential to our overall health and well-being, known to affect our mood, immune system, energy level and much more, so it’s very important to get the best sleep possible. To do this, you must maintain good sleep hygiene and make sure that you are sleeping on a mattress that is comfortable and complimentary of your lifestyle and sleep habits.

Once you find a mattress that you get used to and like sleeping on, it can be hard to know when it’s time to part ways. The average lifespan of a good quality mattress is 7-10 years and will eventually start to break down and become affected by the wear and tear of nightly use. Every night our faithful mattresses support the weight of our bodies while we rest; after years of nightly compression, eventually, even a great mattress will no longer be able to provide the support you need which will eventually lead to aches and pain and, ultimately, loss of sleep.

So, beyond simply the broad 7-10 year ballpark, how do you know when it’s time to get a new mattress? Here are six major indicators:

1. Obvious wear and tear.

The easiest indicators to identify are ones that you can clearly see and/or touch such as sagging, lumps or a spring that has broken or popped up. Sometimes it happens suddenly and sometimes it happens over time. If and when this does occur, it can make your bed almost unbearable to sleep on and a new mattress is definitely an order.

2. Pain.

A tougher indicator to identify is one that you can’t see on the mattress but feel in your body. If you go to sleep at night and frequently wake up in the morning with pain, often we can attribute it to external factors or simply write it off as having ‘slept wrong.’ If this is happening a lot, keep track and, if you can rule out external factors, most likely it is your mattress that is causing you pain. When you are looking for a new mattress, make sure that it is compatible with your sleep habits and recommended for any other pain you might be having or looking to avoid.

3. Change in density.

Due to compression and age, mattresses become firmer and harder over time. Does anyone else remember sleeping at a relative’s place with a rock-hard guest room bed? That’s why. If you prefer a more plush mattress and eventually find yourself having trouble sleeping, consider how old your mattress is; if it’s near the end of its lifespan, it likely becomes firmer, upsetting your sleep.4. Sudden increase in allergy symptoms.

Dust mites, mouldand mildew accumulate in our beds over time and can eventually trigger allergic reactions making it difficult to sleep. To extend the life-span of your mattress, we suggest using a mattress protector that you can remove and wash.

5. Change in sleeping situation.

So far we’ve covered indicators that come from the mattress, but there are also factors that come from us. You may need a new mattress because there is no longer enough room for you to sleep comfortably due to an expansion in your family (moving in with your partner, children climbing in with you, and/or getting a pet). Realistically, any addition at all means you are sharing your space. It’s important that no matter who or how many are sharing your bed, that you always have enough space to get a good sleep, so this may mean upgrading the size of your mattress.

6. Change in lifestyle.

Another external factor can come from a change in our lifestyle. If you have taken up playing sports and rely on sleep for athletic recovery your needs change. If you move to a hotter climate and find you can’t sleep because of an increased temperature, your needs change. If you were injured, your needs can also change. The most important thing is to always listen to your body and make adjustments accordingly.

I hope these indicators are helpful in identifying when it’s time to get a new mattress so you can get the sleep you need to be at your best.

We make the mattress-buying process easy by delivering it directly to your door in one easy-to-handle compact box. We strongly believe in customizability, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. An easy one-minute quiz matches you to the ideal mattress for your lifestyle and sleep habits.